Eindhoven Day Off FM / Electric Boys

26 November 2015

FM Tour Diary: Eindhoven Day Off - 26 November 2015

I woke up about 10.30am. Richard is still fast asleep but wakes around 11am. Rich
opens the curtains, it's a lovely, sunny day.

It's decided a coffee is needed to get our day underway. Our room overlooks the airport,
in fact our hotel sits on top of the terminal in which there is a Starbucks, of which
we take full advantage. Caffeine levels suitably topped up we go in search of the
other guys. They're in the airport noodle bar having lunch. We join them for a chat.
Their lunch looks a winner so we decide on coming there later for an early dinner.
The plan is to hit downtown Eindhoven this evening. I have a feeling it will involve
drinking alcohol.

About 5.30pm Rich and I decide it's noodle 'o clock. Two freshly cooked bowls of
chicken teriyaki later we head across the terminal back towards the hotel. We spy
three familiar shapes at the bar, Messrs. Overland, Kirkpatrick and Sue are having
an early evening livener, Merv is also there. Rich and I join them. It seems the
big night out on the razz is being scaled down to a few quiet beers in the hotel
bar. Oh dear, are we finally beginning show our collective age? The guys decide it's
time for some food leaving Richard and I to finish our drinks, we'll regroup later.
I go up to the room to shower and Rich satisfies his nicotine urge outside.

Before we get back on the beer Rich is going to share some of his vast audio knowledge
with me. I connect my little portable recording system and hear some gentle snoring
coming from the bed behind me. Rich has nodded off… Aah bless. Rich wakes up and
gives some invaluable audio tutoring.

Lesson over we reconvene in the bar with the others. It's a good humoured affair
until it's pointed out to the bar girl that she's short-changing us on our beers
- every drink is well short of the 500ml level. Richard politely asks for his pint
to be topped up. She impolitely refuses. Rich asks again… She takes his drink away.
"Please just top it up to the line that's all I'm asking" Rich says. She pours his
drink down the sink. How ridiculous! We ask to see the person in charge. Person-in-charge
comes out and to be truthful she's just as unhelpful. She reluctantly pours Richard
another full pint and announces "The bar will close at 11.00". There is another guest
in the bar who turns out to be a Dutch lawyer. He is as aggrieved as we are about
the short measures and we get chatting with him. He tells us that the barmaid said
to him we had been drinking in the bar since 10am. We put him straight that we hadn't.
"The bar is closing at 11.30" announces old happy. Make your mind up you misery.

With the bar closed the only course of action is to raid the bus. I go down and get
a few cans and distribute them amongst the troops, our new lawyer friend included,
and we move from the bar to a seated area. This appears to put the staff's noses
further out of joint. A male member of staff comes over and starts speaking to me
right in my face "You can leave this area right now and sleep in the hotel or you
must leave". I politely ask what his problem is in a quiet calm manner. He spits
back almost apoplectic with rage "I told you leave now or you will not sleep here,
your choice". Our lawyer friend speaks to him in Dutch, I have no idea what he said
but the guy walks away and leaves us in peace to finish our drinks. Strange bunch.